Apple’s Business Strategy

My dad lost his Apple Watch 5, which was paired with his iPhone 6. I thought it was a good opportunity to upgrade his watch to one with cell service, as he often forgets to carry his iPhone.

To my surprise, an LTE Apple Watch still needs to pair with an iPhone, even if it can be used without the paired iPhone nearby.  Apparently, Apple doesn’t consider the elderly group that uses the Apple Watch primarily for fall detection and as a watch. Technically, nothing prevents the Apple Watch from functioning as an independent cellular device after it is set up. This was the first disappointment.

I spent a considerable amount of time pairing Apple Watches with iPhone 6 and 7. The Apple Watch 5 was no longer able to be paired with either of them. I found out it can only be paired with iPhone XS with IOS 18 or later. A similar challenge was posted on the Apple website in 2022.

I understand the business strategy of making new features only available on new devices, which promotes upgrades. However, a silent-force upgrade is not a good business practice, given Apple’s mission statement, “To bring the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.”